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Chicken Fajita Salad (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Colorful, vibrant and tasty, this easy chicken fajita salad has all the flavor of traditional fajitas, just without the tortilla! Plus, it’s easy to prep the ingredients ahead of time and assemble before eating, which is perfect for meal prep! Gluten-free and dairy-free too.

Up close view of a plate of chicken fajita salad on kitchen towel

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Your Favorite Chicken Fajitas in Salad Form!

If you love all the big, bold flavors that comes with chicken fajitas, but aren’t a fan of eating with your fingers and getting all messy, plus don’t skipping the tortilla (which means less carbs), then this super easy chicken fajita salad is the perfect alternative!

Top down view of plate of chicken fajita taco salad.
Up close view of fajita chicken salad bowl

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

  • Simple Ingredients: The main ingredients you’ll need for this fajita chicken salad are easily accessible at the local grocery stores (nothing fancy required!).
  • Easy to Make: With just 30 minutes of hands-on time, this is one tasty meal that comes together quickly (just make sure to marinate the chicken ahead of time).
  • Totally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: The best part is that this easy Mexican-inspired chicken salad is 100% gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can enjoy it without issues!
Up close view of chicken fajita taco salad with lime wedges

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for making this chicken fajita salad recipe.

(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

Ingredients for chicken fajita salad recipe laid out on white board.

Recipe Notes + Substitutions:

  • Chicken: I used skinless, boneless chicken breast, but you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs as well.
  • Avocado: Make sure to use ripe but not overly ripe avocadoes (so that the avocado still holds its shape once cut). I like dicing the avocado, but you could also slice it if you prefer.
  • Veggies: I used a mix of colorful bell peppers (red and yellow) and red onions to add a bright pop of color. Alternatively, you can also add zucchini if you like.
  • Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor, but you can easily use other types of vegetable oil if you prefer (such as sunflower oilcanola oilavocado oil etc.)
  • Seasonings: For flavor, I’ve used ground cuminground corianderground black pepper, and ground paprika. Feel free to add in garlic powder or onion powder if that’s what you prefer.
  • Lime Juice: A squeeze of fresh lime juice adds a nice acidity that whets your appetite as well as balances out the flavors of the fajita chicken salad. Alternatively, you may use lemon juice too if that’s what you have.

How to Make Chicken Fajita Salad

Mixing chicken strips in marinade sauce
Marinate Chicken Strips: In a bowl, mix 3 tablespoons olive oil with salt, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground black pepper, and ground paprika. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Sautéing chicken strips in skillet
Sauté Chicken: In a large nonstick skillet, sauté the marinated chicken for 7–8 minutes, turning halfway through.
Sautéed chicken strips on paper towel lined bowl
Set Aside: Place the cooked chicken on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Sautéing veggies in skillet
Sauté Veggies: In the same skillet as before, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan. Sauté bell peppers and red onion for 5–6 minutes until slightly softened. Let cool for 5 minutes.
A glass bowl with diced avocadoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, sautéed chicken, chopped cilantro.
Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken, sautéed vegetables, and cherry tomatoes. Add diced avocado, lime juice, and chopped herbs.
Sautéed chicken strips tossed with bell peppers.
Serve and Enjoy: Mix well and serve!

Dish by Dish Tips:

  • Use Protein of Choice: If you prefer a different type of protein, go ahead and use beef, fish, or turkey instead of chicken.
  • Make Tacos: If you still prefer eating tacos, use this recipe as a filling inside corn tortillas and top it with creamy avocado, sour cream and black olives.
Top down view of plate of chicken fajita strips.

Other Mexican Recipes You’ll Love:

Gluten-Free Chicken Recipes to Make:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!

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A bowl of chicken fajita salad on red kitchen towel

Chicken Fajita Salad (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Author: Felicia Lim
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Colorful, vibrant and tasty, this easy chicken fajita salad has all the flavor of traditional fajitas, just without the tortilla! Plus, it’s easy to prep the ingredients ahead of time and assemble before eating, which is perfect for meal prep! Gluten-free and dairy-free too.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2/3 pound chicken breast, cut into strips
  • 1 avocado, seed removed and diced
  • 1 cup mixed bell peppers, cut into strips
  • 1/2 red onion, cut into strips
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/3 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1215 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

  1. Marinate Chicken Strips: In a bowl, mix 3 tablespoons olive oil with salt, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground black pepper, and ground paprika. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  2. Sauté Chicken: In a large nonstick skillet, sauté the marinated chicken for 7–8 minutes, turning halfway through.
  3. Set Aside: Place the cooked chicken on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
  4. Sauté Veggies: In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan. Sauté bell peppers and red onion for 5–6 minutes until slightly softened. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  5. Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken, sautéed vegetables, and cherry tomatoes. Add diced avocado, lime juice, and chopped herbs.
  6. Serve and Enjoy: Mix well and serve!

Notes

Chicken: I used skinless, boneless chicken breast, but you can use boneless chicken thighs as well.

Avocado: Make sure to use ripe but not overly ripe avocadoes (so that the avocado still holds its shape once cut). I like dicing the avocado, but you could also slice it if you prefer.

Veggies: I used a mix of colorful bell peppers (red and yellow) and red onions to add a bright pop of color. Alternatively, you can also add zucchini if you like.

Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor, but you can easily use other types of vegetable oil if you prefer (such as sunflower oil, canola oil, avocado oil etc.)

Seasonings: For flavor, I’ve used ground cumin, ground coriander, ground black pepper, and ground paprika. Feel free to add in garlic powder or onion powder if that’s what you prefer.

Lime Juice: A squeeze of fresh lime juice adds a nice acidity that whets your appetite as well as balances out the flavors of the fajita chicken salad. Alternatively, you may use lemon juice too if that’s what you have.

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Marinating Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Mexican

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2 Comments

  1. This chicken fajita salad is both wholesome and refreshing for a day when I only wanted to enjoy a light meal 🙂

    Thanks Felicia!

    Mum